I Read Books: An Instance Of The Fingerpost

An Instance Of The Fingerpost

In Oxford in 1663, shortly after the Restoration of the King with England still in religious and political turmoil, Dr Robert Grove (historical) is murdered. Sarah Blundy (fictional, based on a historical person) is accused, found guilty, hanged (and dissected, though this is not an offical part of the punishment) and then burned for it.

This is what the records show, but four unreliable narrators have their own opinions. First Marco da Cola, Venetian scholar, who writes his narrative in order to dispute who invented blood transfusion, him or Richard Lower (historical). Next Jack Prescott (fictional, based on a historical person) who has his own version of the events surrounding Grove’s death and Blundy’s execution, but is mostly concerned with how he investigated his father’s disgrace. Then Dr John Wallis (historical), England’s best mathematician until he was eclipsed by Newton, cryptographer to Parliament and also to the king, who has suspicions around da Cola, and disputes his reasons for being in Oxford. And finally Anthony Wood (historical), who knows more of the truth than the others, and may have had a revelation. All offer up what they know about how Grove died and at whose hands, and the strange truths behind Blundy and da Cola.

It is filled with period detail, and also historical characters, many involved in invention and experiments, such as, of course, blood and air. Others are deeply into the political plots, and everyone has a theological opinion, all of which tie into the resolutions of the mysteries.

Read This: For a powerful, complex historical mystery novel
Don’t Read This: If you don’t want terrible people being 17th-century weird